Generate two column HTML table from one MYSQL query?

kuli

I want to be able to retrieve a list of entries from my mysql database and have it output a 2 or 3 column formatted html table. As I have it now, it just creates a single html table with only one column. The problem is I have around 30 entries, and I think it would look nicer if I could have it automatically create a new column for example after about 10 entries.

As it is now

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

As I would like it:

1 5
2 6
3 7
4 8

Is this possible?

Thanks!

Im using this code now

this is in my functions.php

//###################### categoryarraytotablerows #######################
// categoryarray 2 html-table
function categoryarraytotablerows($array) {
global $hash;
include ("admin/config/html.php"); //dont want to make a big big global
while (list ($orderid, $category) = each ($array)) {
// row color
$tablealtcolor = tablealtcolor($tablealtcolor);

	// depth string
            $depthstring = "";
	for ($i=0;$i<$category["depth"];$i++) {
                    $depthstring .= "»&nbsp;";
	}

	// fill variables for templates
	$id = $category["id"];
	$categoryid = $category["id"];
	$title = $category["title"];
	$description = $category["description"];

	$linkend = ':';
	$linkstart = '';
            if ($category["categoryonly"] == 0) {
                    $linkend = "</a>";
                    $linkstart = "<a href=\"entry.php?hash=$hash&categoryid=".$categoryid."\">";
	}
            eval("\$category_listdata = \"".templateget('category_listdata')."\";");
	eval("\$output .= \"".templateget('category_listrows')."\";");
}

return $output;

}

listdata.html

	<td><b>
	<!--linkstart-->
	$linkstart
	<!--/linkstart-->
	<font color="$tablelinkcolor" size="$fontsize" face="$fontface">
	<!--depthstring-->
	$depthstring
	<!--/depthstring-->
	<!--title-->
             $title
            <!--/title-->
	</font>
	<!--linkend-->
	$linkend
	<!--linkend-->
	</b><br><font size="$fontsizesmall" color="$tabletextcolor" face="$fontface">
	<!--description-->
           $description
	<!--/description-->
	</font></td>

listrows.html

	<tr bgcolor="$tablealtcolor">
	<!--category_listdata-->
            $category_listdata
	<!--/category_listdata-->
	<!--<td><font color="$tabletextcolor" size="$fontsizesmall" face="$fontface">
    [<a href="category.php?hash=$hash&action=edit&id=$id">
    <font color="$tablelinkcolor" size="$fontsizesmall" face="$fontface">Edit</font></a>]
    [<a href="category.php?hash=$hash&action=delete&id=$id"><font color="$tablelinkcolor" size="$fontsizesmall" face="$fontface">Delete</font></a>]</font>
	</td>-->
	</tr>

and table.html

<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 width="98%" bgcolor="$tablebordercolor">
<tr><td>

$table

</td></tr>
</table>

LarsLai

hi!
just do something like (untested)

<table><tr>
<?php
$i = 1;
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
 echo "<td>" . $row[0] . "</td>";
 if (($i % 5) == 0)
  echo "</tr><tr>";
}
?>
</tr></table>

this will give you:
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
...

if you want to have
1 5
2 6
3 7
4 8
5 9
I think you will have to do something like above but creating a new table in every cell:

<table><tr><td>
<table>
$i = 1;
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
 echo "<tr><td>" . $row[0] . "</td></tr>";
 if (($i % 5) == 0)
  echo "</table></td><td><table>";
}
</table>
</td></tr></table>

I hope that is what you are looking for...
cheers

kuli

I cant figure out how to use that script you suggested. In my program I am making doing all of the processes in my functions.php, and then using the eval function to take that variable output to an html template. This is because the Column titles are not only words, but also links to their respective fields. (This is part of a inventory program)

kuli

Sorry for the newbie response I just wrote. I rewrote a new php script attempting to use the help you have given me. The script displays the data still in one long list.

Here is my revised code using the help from you:

<?
require("./global.php");
$result = $DB->query("SELECT * FROM ".$DB->tableprefix."categorytitle WHERE parentid='".$parentid."' ORDER BY displayorder");
while ($cat = $DB->fetch_array($result)) {

echo "<table><tr>";
$i = 1;
echo "<td>" . $cat["categorytitle"] . "</td>";
if (($i % 5) == 0)
echo "</tr><tr>";
}
echo "</tr></table>";
?>

It doesnt seem like the logic parts the $i = 1; and if (($i % 5) == 0) do anything. Is there more to it that I am missing?

LarsLai

Oh, I am sorry!

I forgot something in my code which is missing in yours, too. you have to count $i up:
<?
require("./global.php");
$result = $DB->query("SELECT * FROM ".$DB->tableprefix."categorytitle WHERE parentid='".$parentid."' ORDER BY displayorder");
while ($cat = $DB->fetch_array($result)) {

echo "<table><tr>";
$i = 1;
echo "<td>" . $cat["categorytitle"] . "</td>";
if (($i % 5) == 0)
echo "</tr><tr>";
$i++;
}
echo "</tr></table>";
?>

kuli

Thanks for the quick reply Lars. But.. Still going up and down. What part of the code makes it go horizontal? Is this an HTML issue now?

Thanks

kuli

Using the search feature of the forum, I have found the following code. It works better, in the sense that it displays more than one item per line but only 2 items per line, not 5 as I wish. it is like this

1 2
3 4
5 6

I have tried changing some of the values of the code, but if i change for example a 2 into a 5, it does not add more items per line, and just cuts the data off of the end of the line.

as follows:

<?php
require("./global.php");
$result = $DB->query("SELECT * FROM ".$DB->tableprefix."categorytitle ORDER BY displayorder");

if ($result)
{
for ($i=0; $i < mysql_num_rows($result); $i +=2)
{
$row = $DB->fetch_array($result);
echo "<table><tr>";
echo "<td>" . $row['categorytitle'] . "</td>";
if ((mysql_num_rows($result) % 1) == 0)
{
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
echo "<td>" . $row['categorytitle'] . "</td>";
}
echo "</tr></table>";
}
}
?>

kuli

Hallelujah! I have modified the previous code to make it work, but its dirty. I just coded one of the parts 4 times, to get 5 items per line. I think this code be done better by using a LOOP, but since I am a newbie its difficult for me??? Here is the WORKING code!!

<?php
require("./global.php");
$result = $DB->query("SELECT * FROM ".$DB->tableprefix."categorytitle ORDER BY displayorder");

{
  $row = mysql_fetch_array($result); 
  echo "<td>" . $row['categorytitle'] . "</td>"; 
} 
{
  $row = mysql_fetch_array($result); 
  echo "<td>" . $row['categorytitle'] . "</td>"; 
} 
{
  $row = mysql_fetch_array($result); 
  echo "<td>" . $row['categorytitle'] . "</td>"; 
} 
{
  $row = mysql_fetch_array($result); 
  echo "<td>" . $row['categorytitle'] . "</td>"; 
} 
echo "</tr></table>";

}
}
?>